If I am Lithuanian ,and I am living in this country,should I expect the population to learn MY langage?

Question

I am so sick of the debate over learning a 2'nd language.We shouldn't do it.No one learned MY language to accomodate ME. all immigrants should be expected to learn English just like the rest of us who came here and have foreign. descent.Some of us still speak 2 languages but we don't force the government to make laws that demand other ethnic groups to learn our countrys language.I think it's really great to know different languages,until they are forced on us.It is unconstitutional and against MY RIGHTS to force me to learn Spanish if I don't want to.nd it is also unconstitional to MY RIGHTS to be forced to hear it spoken in public if I don't want to hear it .....".What Say You?"

Answer 1

It is not a violation of your rights to hear Spanish spoken in public. It is called FREE SPEECH! You had several good points until you got so full of yourself that you start inventing so called facts! Anyone is allowed to speak whatever language in public if they so choose. And for your info the United States does NOT have a official language on record. If you have a problem with alternate languages being spoken in public maybe you should exercise one more constitutional right....the right to LEAVE!

Answer 2

I 've been a stranger in two countries in Europe and I tried to learn the languages people spoke there. I also come from a country with loads of tourists (many from your country) and no one ever made them learn the language. I would agree that it is not good to be forced to learn another language. I don't know the constitution but it sounds really strange that it prohibits the use of other languages in public, are you sure about that?
When you go somewhere as an immigrant most of the times you end up learning the language but it takes some time. You also pass some time with people of your own country and there is no reason why you should not speak your language when you are with them (think again of tourists).
Learning a language by force is always stupid. I had to take English classes at primary school and I hated it and didn't learn a word. Later I realized that I needed it if I was to travel (which I wanted to do) so I learned it by doing private classes. I have found that speaking different languages is one of the most usefull things in life but being forced to do it never works.

Answer 3

Alright. Here's my opinion:

1) All immigrants should learn the language of their new home country, if they expect said country to grant them permanent residence permit/citizenship.

2) It is NOT against your rights to be forced to hear other languages, Spanish or otherwise, in public places. Public places are just that for a reason, and everyone has the right to speak whatever language they want to.

And... 3) No, I don't think they should force you to learn any language you don't want to learn, unless you are in the situation described in # 1.

Answer 4

Because you talk of Spanish, I presume you are in the US and not the UK.

There's a slight difference between the number of Lithuanian speakers and Spanish speakers - Lithuanian is spoken by a relative minority of people, whereas Spanish is spoken by a great number: depending on which figures you look at, Spanish is No. 2 or No. 3 in the world language rankings after Mandarin &/or before English.

I fully understand what you mean, however. I recently visitied Birmingham (UK) and was dropped off at the railway station in Coventry by a friend. I almost sent him a text saying, "You didn't tell me I'd have to have a reasonable command of Hindi/Urdu in order to feel at home here!"

Don't get too worked up about it!

Answer 5

I think That the United States, is not Babel....the official language here, is English....whether we like it or not....and nobody that goes to Lithuania will be accepted speaking spanish or portuguese in the streets for example, arguing his her minority rights....
Minority rights, mean a different thing and are by far, wider in concept than language alone....
By the way...how do you say forget about it in Lithuanian????

Answer 6

To the best of my knowledge, nobody is FORCING anybody to learn anything.

A person can enter the job market with whatever set of work skills s/he chooses. There is a big difference between:

You must learn Spanish
and
If you want THIS JOB you must learn Spanish.

Changing the rules and demanding that a person needs to learn Spanish after they have already been hired for a job is another story.
.

Answer 7

Most of your post I'd agree with. You should not be forced to learn Spanish, or any other language for that matter, if you don't wish to learn it. However, people have a right to speak it in public places, just as you have a right to converse in your mother tongue to people who speak Lithuanian. You are free to do this in public places. They should be to.

Answer 8

I stay 4 miles exterior the thriving city of Stella, Oklahoma. It would not actually have a inhabitants- in uncomplicated terms a rapid rip and a lager bar! in uncomplicated terms 15 miles exterior Oklahoma city however. a much cry from starting to be up in la!

Answer 9

Well maybe if there's a huge surge of Lithuanians who come to the country, suck up all the country's money, abuse the system, and then throw a huge hissy fit about it, then maybe people will have to learn Lithuanian in America.

Answer 10

I absolutely agree on that one!!!! I'm a constant traveller myself and over my life had to learn 3 other languages which are of a big bonus to my life. What I'd like to comment on is the feeling that you are experiencing, I know very well what you're going through, what's more I know exactly who you're talking about...and why!

You are right on your beleives, so stick to them

All the best